


Silver

by queen_scribbles



Category: Pillars of Eternity
Genre: Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-12
Updated: 2018-05-12
Packaged: 2019-05-05 18:54:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14624954
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/queen_scribbles/pseuds/queen_scribbles
Summary: For @pillarspromptsweekly #36, The Hospitality of Caed Nua.  Got to play with the friendship Emiri develops with Alden, who showed up in Sarabande, but you don’t need to read that for this to work.





	Silver

**Author's Note:**

> For @pillarspromptsweekly #36, The Hospitality of Caed Nua. Got to play with the friendship Emiri develops with Alden, who showed up in Sarabande, but you don’t need to read that for this to work.

 

There were times Emiri almost regretted Caed Nua’s reputation for hospitality, with how often it made her play the hostess. There were plenty of nobles she wouldn’t shed a tear to never see again. And, of course, there were the gawkers, who had heard the Watcher of Caed Nua was both aumaua and ‘ _blessed by Ondra_ ’ and came with petty praise or problems simply to stare at her.

There were other times, however, that were definite silver linings to her position. Today was one of those days. Which was why, rather than receiving petitioners or schmoozing guests, Emiri was pacing the battlements over the western gate.

 _Pacing won’t get him here any faster, you know,_ a wry little voice in her head piped up.

 _True, but it gives me a way to burn off extra energy,_ Emiri retorted. _Gods know I have plenty of that today_.

Before her conversation with herself could devolve into an argument, she caught a glimpse of sunlight glinting off silver that heralded the arrival of the Aedyran diplomat and his entourage. _Always so formal,_ Emiri thought fondly as she hurried down from the ramparts and toward the main keep. Much as she wanted to greet her guest at the gate like the friend he was, she had too many other nobles visiting to show so much favoritism. Just because she loathed the rules that came with her status didn’t mean she was going to eschew them entirely.

“Ah, my lady, there you are,” the Steward said in greeting when Emiri entered Great Hall. “You have a number of issues that require your attention.”

“Can they wait? The Aedyrans are here.”

“Ah.” Were she not made out of stone, Emiri would have sworn the Steward was smiling at her excitement. “There is time for you to greet them, yes, of course. And then while they settle in, you can see to other business.”

“Fine. Deal.” Emiri ran her hands down the front of her dark blue silken tunic as she settled on the throne.

“If I may, my lady, I haven’t seen you this happy since the last time Master Corfiser managed to visit.”

“I’m always happy to see my friends,” Emiri countered, knowing full well the rumors some of the nobles circulated about her and Aloth. “There’s nothing more or less to it than that.”

“As you say, my lady,” the Steward said, and gave Emiri another minute or two of silence to compose herself as the proper lady she was supposed to be before the door guards announced the arrival of Thayn Alden Brethart of the Cythwood to see Watcher Emiri, Roadwarden and Lady of Caed Nua.

Emiri struggled to keep her smile appropriately demure rather than the ear to ear grin it wanted to be. Usher’s scythe, it had been so long since she’d seen him, almost as long as Aloth. “Welcome, Thayn Brethart. Caed Nua is always happy to see you.”

“Thank you, Lady Emiri.” He bowed, green eyes twinkling with amusement. “The feeling is quite mutual; it’s always a pleasure to visit.”

“I’m sure you’re tired from your journey, I’ll give you a chance to get settled in before I bother you with any kind of official business.” Since there was no one around but her people and his, Emiri did let her smile widen a little. He responded with a friendly wink.

“I appreciate that, my lady.” He bowed once more, then her and his entourage followed a waiting servant out of the hall to the group of rooms that had been prepared in anticipation of their arrival. 

After the last of them had left and the door shut behind them, Emiri turned her attention back to the Steward. “Alright, what’s this other business I need to see to, so I can get it over with?”

o-o-o-o-o-o

She was pleasantly surprised that there wasn’t as much as the Steward had made it sound--mostly approving plans for other nobles’ visit in the near future--and it wasn’t much more than an hour before she was free to do as she wished. Emiri knew exactly where to head.

Alden was waiting in the same garden they’d used for catching up every time he visited since they first met. It was secluded enough they wouldn’t be bothered much, public enough to keep rumors from starting. He swiftly turned and crossed the garden when Emiri appeared, pulling her into a warm, tight hug. “Gods, it’s good to see you, Emiri.”

“You, too, Alden,” she laughed, returning the hug. “It’s been too long.”

“Yes, well,” Alden shrugged. “Perils of leadership, you know how it is. The Cythwood needs its thayn. Only so often I can get away, even for official business.”

“I do know how it is,” Emiri said as they sat on one of the benches that dotted the garden. “I see you finally took your sister’s advice about your hair.”

He smirked at her amusement, almost sheepishly reaching up to tug the small ponytail that had tamed his usually riotous blond curls. “Well, I’m in the Dyrwood for her wedding, so I figured I could humor her for  few months and if it works, I’ll keep it.”

“So her erl finally gathered the nerve to ask?”

Alden waggled one hand in a so-so motion. “Yes and no. He was going to, lost his nerve at the moment, and so Lucile asked him. She still finds it endearing that he’s so fearless in every other situation, but gets shy around her.”

“Love makes fools out of most people, I’ve found,” Emiri commented. “How’s this... match gone over back home? You mentioned once your father wasn’t fond of Dyrwoodans; is the rest of the family a bit more accepting, or do Lucy and her intended have an uphill fight on their hands?”

He pulled a face but shrugged. “Mother isn’t _thrilled_ , but Lucy’s an intelligent young woman, and her erl is a good man. Besides, since I inherited Father’s thaynu, she knows I’ll be staying in Aedyr, aside from jaunts like this, so she can throw every eligible Aedyran noblewoman at me until we find one we both like.”

“Your mother sounds like a smart woman herself; knowing when to pick her battles,” Emiri said, fiddling with one of her bracelets.

Alden laughed. “She is, but in this case I think its more that Lucile’s her favorite and Mother doesn’t want to lose her. Besides, Eldren’s an erl, so it’s not a complete scandal.” He smiled warmly. “And what about you? What have you been up to since we last saw each other? Aside from what you put in your letters, I mean.”

“Well, let’s see, my last one was... four months ago, I believe?” Emiri pursed her lips and dug through her memory. “Oh. One of the local town’s meeting hall had fallen into complete disrepair, so I used some of Caed Nua’s funds to sponsor its renovation.” She made a face. “Or, well, reconstruction is more accurate. It was so far gone they pretty much had to tear it down and use the foundation for a new building.”

“That’s a big project,” Alden said. “Are you overseeing or just funding?”

“I have too much on my plate to directly oversee,” Emiri replied wryly. “But I only gave a set amount of money and I have someone I trust staying to oversee and make sure the money’s being spent properly.” She paused to think a moment more. “Caed Nua’s become rather popular the last couple years, so I always have plenty of visitors. Few I enjoy as much as you, but all the stuffy or grumpy ones live far closer than you do, so I see them more.”

Alden laughed. “What a shame.”

“At least you’re here now,” Emiri said with a smile. “So I can come find you as an escape if anyone is too awful.”

“I will happily play that role. And Lucy’s wedding isn’t for another month, so I can spare you two whole weeks before I have to go back and play big brother again.”

“I’ll take it. I have a banquet in.... oh, Berath, six days. You can be my escort-dining-companion person. So no one gets any bright ideas about sweet talking me.”

“Happy as I am to help out a friend, won’t that cause issues of a rumor-mongering nature?” Alden pointed out.

“Rumor had attached me to everyone I’ve ever so much as glanced at for more than five seconds,” Emiri shrugged. “Including a few of my traveling companions.”

He laughed softly. “Yes, the ones about you and your aumaua friend made it all the way to my homeland. I suppose because those are the most plausible.”

 _Also the ones I wish were true_. “Funny, around here the most common one is me and Aloth. Part of me still thinks Hiravias started that one as some sort of joke and it got out of hand,” she said wryly. “The fact he and I are such good friends has only fueled it, from what I can tell. Honestly, just the fact that you visit and we talk privately is enough for some of the worse gossips. But if you’re worried about your reputation rather than mine” -she bit back a grin- “I’m sure we can come up with something.”

“The ‘ _only one tall enough we didn’t look a mismatched set_ ’ excuse worked pretty well last time,” Alden suggested.

“Yes, but that was a ball, Alden,” Emiri pointed out. She watched a sparrow perch briefly on a bush before darting off. “This is just a fancy dinner. It doesn’t matter if my partner is significantly shorter than I am.”

“Maybe not in practice, but for appearances’ sake,” he countered.

She had to give him that one. While the Dyrwoodans didn’t care as much as Aedyrans or others about propriety and such, it would do no harm to claim Alden as her escort due to friendship and him only being two inches shorter than her. “Fine. We’ll go with that.” She glanced up at the sun, made a rough guess at the time from its position, and sighed. “I have another meeting I need to get to, and I’m sure you’d like more time to rest after all your traveling.”

Alden caught her wrist as she started to stand. “Before you go, I have something for you.”

Emiri turned, intrigued, and gave him a teasing smiling. “Giving me gifts is a good way to feed the rumor mill, Alden. At least, doing so in private.”

“It’s a small token of my gratitude for the repeated hospitality of Caed Nua,” he said, an equally teasing smile curving his own lips. He reached in one pocket of his silver and green jacket and pulled out a dark leather pouch, embossed with his family coat of arms. “Especially since I have it from multiple sources that said hospitality is _always_ above and beyond. You don’t have to open this now, if you’re in a rush” -a nod to the pouch as he handed it over- “I just wanted to remember to give it to you.”

“Thank you,” Emiri said, sliding the pouch into one of her own pockets. “I really do have to go, but I promise I’ll open this after my meeting.”

Alden nodded. “Hope the meeting goes well. I am going to take you up on that suggestion of more rest. I’ll see you at dinner?”

“Of course,” Emiri nodded back. As she hurried off to her meeting, her hand crept into her pocket and rubbed the fine, soft leather. She’d let the anticipation help carry her through her meeting with Erl Bademyr’s representative. If it was the man he usually sent, she would need something to look forward to if she wanted to stay sane.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

It was the usual representative, but the meeting went better than Emiri expected. She only _sort of_ needed the something good to look forward to, instead of _desperately_. The remaining few hours until dinner were, blessedly, all hers, so she headed for her quarters. While not as cozy as her room in Brighthollow, the suite intended for the master of Caed Nua was large enough she could have all her pets with her, so she’d taken the trade off. Lottie and Copper both looked up and wagged their tails as she entered, and Emiri sat on the edge of her bed to scratch them between the ears before opening Alden’s gift.

“Hey, girls,” she crooned as Copper let out a soft _rrrr_ of pleasure and Lottie panted happily. “Did you keep everyone in line for me?” Lottie _wuff_ ed and lay her head in Emiri’s lap. “Good girl. Let’s see what Alden felt would be a good gift...”

She stopped scratching the dogs and pulled out the leather pouch. The cord closure uncinched easily and the pouch’s contents slid out into her hand. Emiri grinned. _Of course he did._ On her palm lay a silver bangle bracelet, half the width of her finger, etched with the heraldry of Caed Nua. He’d even remembered to size it large enough she could wear it as a bracelet.

Emiri could almost hear the Steward’s voice in her head, cautioning that wearing such a trinket could be seen as favoritism, or taken as a sign of courtship, or another half dozen options for how it could be taken the wrong way. Frankly, she didn’t care. It was a gift, from a good friend. She was going to wear it. Besides, it only had Caed Nua’s heraldry on it; it wasn’t as if Alden had given her something with the Cythwood’s crest on it-

Her gaze flicked to the pouch and she hastily stuffed it under her pillows. No one needed to know about the wrapping. She wasn’t even going to make a fuss about the bracelet, just wear it. No one but Alden would likely even notice beyond the fact it was fancier than her usual accessories. She could thank him for it after dinner.

A tiny, tiny part of Emiri that remembered the chains and whips and deep, unending loneliness like it was yesterday rather than four years ago didn’t _care_ if someone thought she was playing favorites. Friends were a luxury she’d never expected to have again, she was going to treasure every single one. The rest of her knew she had to be diplomatic about that sentiment.

 _I’m still not going to deny it_ , she reflected as she slipped on the bracelet, the silver right at home among the woven colors already there.

o-o-o-o-o-o

Alden smiled when he saw her at dinner, but saved any further acknowledgement he’d noted her appreciation of his gift until after the meal.

“I’m glad you like it,” he said, something like satisfaction lighting his eyes. “I remember your fondness for bracelets, but it’s rather different than the ones you usually wear, so I wasn’t sure...”

“That just makes it special,” Emiri winked. “Like our friendship.”

“Oh, _gods_ , Emiri,” Alden groaned at the pun.

“In all seriousness, though, since all the patterns and colors are different, every one of my bracelets is unique. Yours is just the most unique,” she said, holding up her wrist as evidence.

“Are you planning to wear it every day?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Tempting as that is, I think I’ll save it for special occasions. By nature of being a bangle, there’s more chance of me losing it in the day to day. And that would be a shame.” She ran her fingers over the shining silver surface. It really was a pretty piece. “I treasure it far too much to risk that. Thank you. Very much.”

“You’re very welcome,” Alden replied around a yawn, one especially rebellious curl finally popping loose to hang in front of his eye.

Emiri chuckled as she reached over and smoothed it back. “Go to bed, Alden.”

He gave an exaggerated bow. “Yes, my lady. As you wish.”

She was smiling smiling long after they parted ways, as she lay in bed staring out the window at the silver-white scattering of stars. With him as her escort, she could almost look forward to next week’s banquet.

_Almost._


End file.
